§ Mr. MallonTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many posts within the Water Service were transferred to Craigavon from (i) Newry, (ii) Armagh, (iii) Belfast and (iv) elsewhere, in each of the past five years; [17803]
(2) how many people are employed in design in the Water Services in (i) Craigavon, (ii) Armagh and (iii) Newry; and what proposals there are for future staffing levels in those offices; [17807]
(3) how many posts within the Water Service were transferred to Belfast from (i) Newry, (ii) Armagh, (iii) Craigavon and (iv) elsewhere, in each of the past five years; [17805]
(4) how many employees there were in Water Service in (i) Armagh, (ii) Craigavon and (iii) Newry and Mourne in each of the past five years; [17804]
(5) what were the (a) numbers and (b) grades of recruits to the Water Service in (i) administration, (ii) personnel, (iii) design, (iv) accountancy and (v) other disciplines, in each of the past five years, indicating the location of each post; [17808]
(6) what are the projected staffing levels in the water service in (i) Armagh, (ii) Craigavon, (iii) Newry and (iv) Belfast, for the next three years. [17806]
§ Mr. MossResponsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Water Service under its chief executive, Mr. H. R. F. Plester. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
575WLetter from H. R. F. Plester to Mr. Seamus Mallon, dated 28 February 1997:
I have been asked to reply to your six Parliamentary Questions to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland about Water Service operational matters. I shall answer each in turn in the order in which they were tabled. The general background is that staffing levels in the Water Service have reduced from 2529 in 1992 to 2298 at the end of 1996.No 386To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many posts within Water Service were transferred to Craigavon from (i) Newry, (ii) Armagh, (iii) Belfast and (iv) elsewhere, in each of the past five years.The information requested is shown in the table.
Newry Armagh Belfast Elsewhere 1992 0 0 10 0 1993 0 0 0 0 1994 0 0 0 0 1995 0 0 0 0 1996 9 4 0 0
No 387To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many people are employed in design in the Water Services in (i) Craigavon, (ii) Armagh and (iii) Newry; and what proposals there are for future staffing levels in those offices.Twenty-seven people based in Craigavon are employed in design which is taken to include construction supervision and direct administrative support. Overall design manning in the Water Service is being reduced so that engineering staff can be redeployed to enable the filling of key vacancies directly related to the provision of customer services. One option under consideration would involve a reduction of about ten staff in the Craigavon design section (together with slightly greater numbers in Belfast). Water Service is currently considering this and alternative options in line with business needs, the expressed wishes of staff and their career development, together with any possible differential impact in relation to Equal Opportunities taking full account of Government's commitments to TSN and PANT concerning possible disparity of effect in community or sectional terms. You will be aware that Water Service Design Group does not provide direct services to the public. All staff under consideration are in mobile grades available for posting throughout Northern Ireland. Water Service has, at present, no staff involved in design permanently based in either Armagh or Newry and no change in this situation is envisaged.No 389To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many posts within the Water Services were transferred to Belfast from (i) Newry, (ii) Armagh, (iii) Craigavon and (iv) elsewhere, in each of the past five years.No Water Service posts were transferred to Belfast during the past five years with the exception of five posts transferred from Craigavon in 1995.No 392To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many employees there were in Water Services in (i) Armagh, (ii) Craigavon and (iii) Newry and Mourne in each of the past five years.576WThe information requested is shown in the table.
Armagh Craigavon Newry and Mourne 1992 71 219 104 1993 65 230 101 1994 64 222 97 1995 62 207 96 1996 53 221 89
No 393To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what were the (a) numbers and (b) grades of recruits to the Water Services in (i) administration, (ii) personnel, (iii) design, (iv) accountancy and (v) other disciplines, in each of the past five years, indicating the location of each post.Recruitment of staff is to the Department of the Environment (NI); numbers, grades and initial location of recruits whose first posting was to Water Service are shown in the table.
General Service Grades (includes administration and personnel) Number Grade Location 1992 2 Administrative Assistant Belfast 1 Administrative Officer Belfast 1 Typist Belfast 1993 3 Administrative Assistant Belfast 1 Administrative Trainee Belfast 1 Administrative Assistant Cookstown 1 Administrative Officer Belfast 1 Typist Belfast 1994 0 1995 2 Administrative Assistant Belfast 1 Typist Belfast 1996 1 Administrative Assistant Belfast 1 Administrative Officer Belfast 1 Management Trainee Belfast 577W
Design Number Grade Location 1992 5 Professional and Technology Officer Belfast 3 Graduate Trainee Engineer Belfast 7 'O' level Trainee Engineer Belfast 1 'O' level Trainee Engineer Craigavon 1 'O' level Trainee Engineer Londonderry 1993 2 Graduate Trainee Engineer Belfast 3 'O' level Trainee Engineer Belfast 1 'O' level Trainee Engineer Ballymena 2 'O' level Trainee Engineer Craigavon 1994 0 1995 0
Design Number Grade Location 1996 4 Graduate Trainee Engineer Belfast 1 Graduate Trainee Engineer Craigavon 5 'O' level Trainee Engineer Belfast 1 'O' level Trainee Engineer Londonderry 1 'O' level Trainee Engineer Ballymena 1 'O' level Trainee Engineer Craigavon
Accountants Number Grade Location 1992 0 1993 0 1994 1 Grade 5 Director of Finance Belfast 3 Grade 7 Accountant Belfast 1995 0 1996 1 Staff Officer Accountant Belfast 578W
Other disciplines (includes main operational functions) Number Grade Location 1992 2 Professional and Technology Officer Belfast 1 Professional and Technology Officer Londonderry 1 Professional and Technology Officer Craigavon 1 Professional and Technology Officer Omagh 2 SG2 Water Sampler Belfast 2 SG2 Water Sampler Craigavon 1 Scientific Officer Belfast 2 Industrial Operative Londonderry 2 Industrial Operative Antrim 2 Industrial Operative Ballymena 2 Industrial Operative Larne 1 Electrician Belfast 1 Industrial Operative Downpatrick 12 Industrial Operative Belfast 10 Industrial Operative Craigavon 5 Industrial Operative Newry 2 Industrial Operative Armagh 1993 1 Professional and Technology Officer Belfast 1 Professional and Technology Officer Londonderry 1 Professional and Technology Officer Antrim 2 Professional and Technology Officer Craigavon 1 SG2 Water Sampler Belfast 3 SG2 Water Sampler Ballymena 1 Ship's Mate Belfast 2 Assistant Scientific Officer Belfast 1 Industrial Operative Magherafelt 1 Industrial Operative Enniskillen 2 Industrial Operative Ballymena
Other disciplines (includes main operational functions) Number Grade Location 1 Industrial Operative Coleraine 1 Electrician Belfast 2 Industrial Operative Downpatrick 6 Industrial Operative Conlig 10 Industrial Operative Belfast 2 Industrial Operative Armagh 1 Industrial Operative Newry 9 Industrial Operative Craigavon 1994 2 SG2 Water Sampler Belfast 1 SG2 Water Sampler Ballymena 1 Industrial Operative Magherafelt 1 Industrial Operative Omagh 1 Industrial Operative Londonderry 1 Industrial Operative Antrim 1 Industrial Operative Ballymena 1 Industrial Operative Coleraine 5 Industrial Operative Belfast 1 Industrial Operative Lisburn 4 Industrial Operative Conlig 1 Fitter Belfast 4 Industrial Operative Craigavon 6 Industrial Operative Armagh 1995 1 SG2 Water Sampler Ballymena 1 SG2 Water Sampler Craigavon 4 Industrial Operative Londonderry 1 Industrial Operative Omagh 1 Industrial Operative Antrim 4 Industrial Operative Ballymena 1 Industrial Operative Larne 18 Industrial Operative Belfast 4 Industrial Operative Lisburn 9 Industrial Operative Conlig 3 Industrial Operative Downpatrick 1 Able Bodied Seaman Belfast 2 Fitter Belfast 4 Industrial Operative Craigavon 3 Industrial Operative Newry 3 Industrial Operative Armagh 1996 1 Gr 6 Mechanical and Electrical Eng Belfast 2 Industrial Operative Londonderry 3 Industrial Operative Ballymena 8 Industrial Operative Belfast 2 Industrial Operative Lisburn 1 Industrial Operative Conlig 2 Industrial Operative Downpatrick 2 Electrician Belfast 2 Fitter Belfast 2 Industrial Operative Craigavon
No 396To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what are the projected staffing levels in Water Services in (i) Armagh, (ii) Craigavon, (iii) Newry and (iv) Belfast, for the next three years.Water Service staffing levels currently under review include scientific services, design services and administrative support for operational services. The outcome of these reviews will not be known for some months. It is not, therefore, possible to provide the detailed information requested for these locations at this time. When concluded the outcome of these reviews will, however, if significant changes are involved, be communicated to elected representatives. Staffing matters are regularly the subject of trade union consultation